During ankle eversion testing, which end feel and ROM are typical?

During ankle eversion testing, which end feel and ROM are typical?

• A. FIRM end feel, 0-15 degrees
• B. SOFT end feel, 0-15 degrees
• C. HARD end feel, 0-20 degrees
• D. HARD end feel, 0-15 degrees

Answer: (D)

During ankle eversion, the end feel reflects what stops further movement at the subtalar-hindfoot level. The limiting barrier is the bony architecture of the joints, so when you move the hindfoot outward, you eventually reach a point where the bones contact each other. That creates a hard, bony end feel. The normal range for this motion is roughly 0 to about 15 degrees, so the end of the arc is reached around 15 degrees in a healthy person. If the end feel were soft, you’d be feeling tissue approximation or compression of surrounding soft tissues rather than a bony stop. A firm end feel would indicate stretching of soft tissues or ligaments rather than a clean bone-on-bone limit, and the ROM could differ from the typical 0-15 degrees.

During ankle eversion, the end feel reflects what stops further movement at the subtalar-hindfoot level. The limiting barrier is the bony architecture of the joints, so when you move the hindfoot outward, you eventually reach a point where the bones contact each other. That creates a hard, bony end feel. The normal range for this motion is roughly 0 to about 15 degrees, so the end of the arc is reached around 15 degrees in a healthy person.

If the end feel were soft, you’d be feeling tissue approximation or compression of surrounding soft tissues rather than a bony stop. A firm end feel would indicate stretching of soft tissues or ligaments rather than a clean bone-on-bone limit, and the ROM could differ from the typical 0-15 degrees.